


The Family Dog

by everythingmurky



Series: Time demi-Lord [3]
Category: Broadchurch, Doctor Who
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Gen, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 18:19:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9915137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everythingmurky/pseuds/everythingmurky
Summary: Ellie is a little shocked when she meets the Hardy family dog.(A brief moment outside of but definitely related to Child of Time.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is because I'm a bit stuck at the moment. I know what's supposed to go in the next section of Child of Time, but I'm having a hard time writing it and would rather do a later part of what I know needs to come before the end. I am also trying to find a good way to balance what I feel should go in the story and what might seem like it should be separate. This bit is kind of fun, but it wouldn't really advance the plot, so... I think it can be separate. Maybe.

* * *

“This'll just take a minute,” the Doctor said, and Ellie frowned, not sure what he was up to this time. She'd only had to meet him to know he was up to something, though it didn't help that he'd looked like Hardy's twin only younger and her wanker of a former boss didn't know him.

Well, and there was the whole bigger on the inside police box, too.

“Few coordinates, the right frequency, and a brief message—and here we are.”

Ellie jumped back as a small silver thing appeared in front of them. She stared. That thing looked a bit like a dog, with antennae instead of ears and tail, and its side proclaimed it to be K-9. The Doctor grinned, looking over at Sarah Jane. 

“Mistress,” the dog said, and Ellie backed away, almost wishing she had some kind of weapon. Then it wheeled around and spotted the Doctor. “Master.”

“I knew that short range teleport would come in handy,” the Doctor told her. “Good to see you again, K-9.”

“Affirmative.”

“It... talks,” Ellie said, shaking her head and trying to remind herself that she'd already seen weirder things since the Doctor showed up in Broadchurch. After all, he was Hardy's real father. And a nine hundred year old alien.

“This is amazing,” Daisy said, going over to the dog. “I heard so many stories, but I never thought any of them were real. I didn't—it was just—you're real.”

“Affirmative, Mistress.”

“It's not the same one,” Hardy said, tense and maybe a bit angry. “Different color, for one.”

“Master,” the dog said, and he glared at it. “My systems have been much improved, and my data core was salvaged. Query—do you still need components for a reticular vector gauge?”

The Doctor gave Hardy a look. “You made one of those, too?”

“I have no bloody idea what he's talking about,” Hardy said. “Last project I had was a piece of salvage everyone insisted would never run again.”

“Which is sitting in our garage now, supposedly for when I'm older,” Daisy said, rolling her eyes. Her father gave her a look, and she shook her head. “Not that it isn't great, and that I haven't wanted to drive it since I was little, but it's not a TARDIS, is it?”

Hardy rolled his eyes. “One bloody space ship, and she's forgotten she's a teenager. Where's the angst and rebellion and sense of entitlement? The idea that you're better than your family and could care less what they do?”

She laughed. “Dad, my family—we're aliens. We travel in time and space and have robot dogs. What is better than that?”

“Not much,” the Doctor said.

“Affirmative,” the dog agreed.

“That was your dog?” Ellie asked, staring at Hardy. “You grew up with... that as a dog?”

“Yes,” he answered, frowning. “What, you think I'd be happy with a little barking thing that shit everywhere and messed the carpet?”

“Trust me,” Daisy said, “he wouldn't. Should have seen him when I convinced him to let me pet sit for our neighbors. If I had any dreams of a dog of my own, they died that day.”

Hardy shook his head. “It's not like your mother was any more willing to let you have a pet than I was. Though... if K-9 hadn't died when I was about to graduate, I would have let you have him.”

“Really?”

“Like that is even a question,” Hardy muttered, kneeling next to the robotic dog and running a hand along its back. “Salvaged data core?”

“Directive nine point six still active,” the dog said, and the Doctor frowned, looking at the robot.

“Nine point six? There's no directive nine point six.”

“Negative,” the dog told him. “Master Alec programmed directive nine. Subsection six renders me unable to tell embarrassing stories from his childhood.”

Ellie was not the only one who had a hard time believing that. She watched Hardy stand back up and actually found herself asking the dog a question. She was talking to a dog. A robot. This was insane. “You're programmed not to embarrass him?”

“Directive nine prohibits me from sharing any of Master Alec's secrets. Point six specifically mentions childhood stories,” the dog answered. “Mistress was not pleased.”

Sarah Jane shook her head. “No, but I found out he had created that protocol after he dismantled my computer. When I had a story due on a deadline.”

Hardy shrugged. “I made you a better one.”

“That you did,” she said, going over to his side. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. And Hardy smiled. He actually smiled, and not because he'd had too much wine and was laughing with Ellie's husband.

Somehow, that was stranger than the robotic dog.


End file.
